Heater apparatus



March 7, 1967 U. SUNDAY 3,307,610

HEATER APPARATUS Filed June 9, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l mn- R WATER 'ro6LOWEP I0 FIG.

INVENTOR. JAMES J. 51/11/04), Deceased. Br lg/ 1mm law/v4JoIf/l'rW'slfdl/VX ATTORNEYS March 7, 1967 J SUNDAY 3,307,610

' HEATER APPARATUS Filed June 9, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet m A," w M ATTORNEYSUnited States Patent 3,307,610 HEATER APPARATUS James J. Sunday,deceased, late of 32739 White Oaks Trail, Birmingham, Mich. 48010, byNatalie Payne, administratrix, Birmingham, Mich.

Filed June 9, 1966, Ser. No. 556,528 6 Claims. (Cl. 158--28) Thisapplication is a continuation-in-part of applicat-ion Serial No.360,647, filed April 17, 1964, now abandoned.

This invention relates to heater apparatus and particularly to heaterapparatus which utilizes heavier fuel, such as kerosene and diesel oil.

In automotive vehicles and particularly such vehicles which utilizediesel engines, a common problem is the difliculty in starting suchvehicles in cold weather.

It is an object of this invention to provide a heater apparatus whichutilizes kerosene or diesel fuel and can be provided for heatingvehicles and the like in cold weather.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a heater apparatusfor heating the liquid coolant of an engine which utilizes kerosene ordiesel fuel.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such an apparatuswhich operates efliciently and quickly.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a part sectional elevational view of a heater apparatusembodying the invention, showing its diagrammatic relationship tocertain other parts.

scale of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 1, the heater apparatus 10 is adapted to be mounted insubstantially vertical position adjacent the vehicle engine, forexample, under the hood of an automotive vehicle. The burner apparatuscomprises an upper burner section 11 and a lower burner section 12.

Referring to FIG. 2, upper burner section 11 comprises a cylindricalsheet metal housing 13. A head in the form of a casting 19 is mounted onthe upper end of the housing 13 and includes a lateral extension 15through which combustion air enters axially and moves laterally into thehousing. Casting 14 also includes an integral centrally located boss 16in which a nozzle support 17 is mounted. Nozzle support 17 includes anaxial opening 18 into the lower end of which a spray nozzle 14 isthreaded. A cap 20 is threaded into the upper end of the body 17 todefine a chamber 21 to which fuel is provided through an inlet passage22. As shown in FIG. 1, the fuel is supplied by fuel pump 23 through afilter 24' to inlet passage 22. A solenoid operated plunger 24controlled by a solenoid 25 normally closes the end of the axial opening18 by seating against an O-ring 26'. When the solenoid 25 is energized,the plunger 24 is withdrawn, permitting the fuel to flow from inletpassage 22 into chamber 21 and thereafter through opening 18 to thespray nozzle 14 which directs it axially in a spray into the housing 13.

In order to prevent the air entering through passage 15 from deflectingthe spray of fuel, a cylindrical baffle 26 is supported by a perforatedplate 27 axially in alignment with the nozzle 14. The openings in theplate 27 offer a restrictive action on the air entering throughextension 15.

A concave baffle disc 30 is supported within the housing 13 by rod 31 inaxial alignment with the nozzle 14 at a point spaced from the baflle 26.Baffle disc 30 has a central small opening 32 to permit fuel that maycollect in disc 30 to pass therethrough without collecting thereon.

3 ,3 07,6 10 Patented Mar. 7, 1967 A glow plug 33 extends radiallyinwardly of the housing 13 and terminates substantially centrallythereof.

A second imperforate baffle 35 is supported beneath the disc 30 by rods36 extending inwardly from a deflector 37. Deflector 37 includes aconical portion 38 that converges downwardly and is supported by anannular disc 39. The lower end of the baflle portion 38 is turnedinwardly as at 40. The upper end of the deflector 37 is generallycylindrical as at 41 and is in contact with the inner surface of thehousing 13. The area between the periphery of the batfle 35 and thecylindrical portion 41 is substantially equal to the area of the lowerend of the conical baffle 38. Each of these areas is greater than thecross sectional area of the openings in the plate 27.

As further shown in FIG. 2, an annular flange 42 is provided on thelower end of the housing 13 and rests on the disc 39. The lower section12 includes a generally cylindrical sheet metal casing 43 which has anannular flange 44 on the upper end thereof. A joint is provided betweenthe flanges 42, 44 and the disc 39 by a split collar 45 which is made oftwo halves that are hinged at one end and held in assembled relation atthe other ends by a nut 46 and bolt 47 (FIG. 1). Alternatively, thejoint may be made by welding.

A sinous helical baffle 50 fixed on a rod 51 is mounted within andextends substantially the entire length of the inner casing 43. Thelower end of the rod 51 is bent and extends laterally outwardly intocontact with the inner surface of the casing 43. A screw 52 is threadedinto the lower end of the rod 51 to support the helical baflie 50 withinthe casing 43. FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlraged Anouter casing 44 surrounds a major portion of the length of the innercasing 43 to define a water jacket having a lower inlet 54 and an upperoutlet 55 that are adapted to be connected to the cooling system of anengine, the coolant of which is to be heated. A cap 56 is mounted on thelower end of the inner casing 43 and has a laterally extending opening57 to which the inlet of a suction blower 58 is connected.

In operation, a switch 60 is closed which energizes the glow plug 33.After a predetermined interval of time, a time delay 61 energizes thesuction blower 58, the solenoid 25 and fuel pump 23 to simultaneouslydraw air through the inlet 15 and supply fuel to the nozzle 14. The fueland air are mixed and vaporized by direct impingement against the baffle35. After being initially ig nited by the glow plug 33, the heatedvaporized mixture passes between the periphery of the baffle 35 andcylindrical portion 41 and through the conical baffle 38 to the areabelow the disc 39 where combustion occurs. The burning fuel and airmixture passes along the sinous path of the baffle 50 and combustion iscompleted before the mixture reaches the end of the baffle 50. Athermostat 62 is positioned on casing 13 and is connected in series withglow plug 33 to de-energize the glow plug when the casing 33 reaches apredetermined temperature. Thereafter, combustion continues until switch60 is opened.

Since the area between the periphery of the baflie 35 and thecylindrical portion 41 is much greater than the area of the openings inthe plate 27, a condition of reduced pressure is created above thebaflle 35 so that the air tends to be drawn directly to the periphery ofthe baflle 35. The atomized fuel from the nozzle 14 is directeddownwardly into impinging relation with the baflie 35 which is heated bythe combustion that occurs below the baflle so that the baffle 35functions as a vaporizing baflie for the fuel. The baflie 35 alsoshields the nozzle and the glow plug from excessive heat duringprolonged operations. The incoming cool air passes downwardly around thenozzle and also functions to assist in cooling the nozzle.

Since the incoming cool air is drawn laterally and outwardly due to thereduced pressure conditions above the baflle 3 5, it does not chill orcool the end of the glow plug or the main position of the vaporizingbat-fie.

It has been found that the heater apparatus embodying the invention willreadily burn fuel such as kerosene and diesel oil with high efficienciesat extremely low temperatures. The apparatus has been found to starteasily at low temperatures and to quickly produce large quantities ofheat so that when the apparatus is connected to the cooling system of avehicle, such as a diesel engine, the coolant is quickly and efiicientlyheated to operating temperatures.

Although the heater apparatus has been described in connection with theutilization of the heat for heating the liquid coolant of a vehicleengine, the heater apparatus may also be utilized to heat air byproviding one or more inlets and one or more outlets from the casing 44.Thus, air can be supplied individually or collectively to portions ofthe engine such as the crank case, manifold and to the passengercompartment.

What is claimed is:

1. In a burner apparatus, the combination comprising a casing,

a jacket surrounding portion of said casing and having an inlet and anoutlet,

nozzle means mounted at one end of said casing remote from said jacketfor directing fuel axially of the casing,

means for supplying fuel under pressure to said nozzle,

a glow plu-g extending transversely in the path of said fuel,

said casing having a combustion air inlet at said one end thereof,

a substantially imperforate baffle in the path of said fuel beyond saidglow plug,

said imperforate baffle having its periphery spaced from the inner wallof said casing,

the cross sectional area of said spacing being greater than the crosssectional area of said inlet at said one end of said casing,

a sinuous bafile positioned within said casing in the area of saidjacket and extending along said casing to the other end thereof,

suction blower means connected to the other end of said casing,

and means for controlling said glow plug and suction blower means.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 including a wall surroundingsaid imperforate baffle and tapering axially inwardly in the directionof the flow of gases toward said suction blower means.

3. In a burner apparatus, the combination comprising a casing,

a nozzle mounted at one end of said casing for directing fuel axially ofthe casing,

a glow plug extending transversely in the path of said fuel,

said casing having a combustion air inlet at said end thereof,

a substantially imperforate baflle in the path of said fuel beyond saidglow plug and located substantially centrally of said casing,

said imperforate baffle having its periphery spaced from the inner wallof said casing,

the cross sectional area of said spacing being greater than the crosssectional area of said .inlet at said one end of said casing,

a sinuous baflle positioned within said casing and extending along saidcasing to the other end thereof,

and suction blower means connected to the other end of said casing.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3 including a wall surroundingsaid imperforate baffle and tapering axially inwardly in the directionof the flow of gases toward said suction blower means.

5. The combination set forth in claim 3 including means responsive tothe temperature of said casing for controlling the glow plug and thesuction blower means.

6. The combination set forth in claim 3 including a valve forcontrolling the flow of fuel to said nozzle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,356,239 10/1920 Thomas 15828 2,286,853 6/1942 Holthouse 15 8-28 2,576,228 11/1951Kinnard.

2,652,106 9/ 3 Cleveland 15 828 2,722,180 11/ 1955 'McIlvaine l5828 X2,982,346 5/1961 Andersen 1584 3,072,176 1/1963 Sunday 158--28 3,133,5275/1964 Mizer 158-28 X JAMES W. WESTHAVER, Primary Examiner.

1. IN A BURNER APPARATUS, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A CASING, A JACKETSURROUNDING PORTION OF SID CASING AND HAVING AN INLET AND AN OUTLET,NOZZLE MEANS MOUNTED AT ONE END OF SAID CASING REMOTE FROM SAID JACKETFOR DIRECTING FUEL AXIALLY OF THE CASING, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING FUEL UNDERPRESSURE TO SAID NOZZLE, A GLOW PLUG EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY IN THE PATHOF SAID FUEL, SAID CASING HAVING A COMBUSTION AIR INLET AT SAID ONE ENDTHEREOF, A SUBSTANTIALLY IMPERFORATE BAFFLE IN THE PATH OF SAID FUELBEYOND SAID GLOW PLUG, SAID IMPERFORATE BAFFLE HAVING ITS PERIPHERYSPACED FROM THE INNER WALL OF SAID CASING, THE CROSS SECTIONAL AREA OFSAID SPACING BEING GREATER THAN THE CROSS SECTIONAL AREA OF SAID INLETAT SAID ONE END OF SAID CASING, A SINUOUS BAFFLE POSITIONED WITHIN SIADCASING IN THE AREA OF SAID JACKET AND EXTENDING ALONG SAID CASING TO THEOTHER END THEREOF,